Gas-phase reactor and system having exhaust plenum and components thereof

ABSTRACT

An improved exhaust system for a gas-phase reactor and a reactor and system including the exhaust system are disclosed. The exhaust system includes a channel fluidly coupled to an exhaust plenum. The improved exhaust system allows operation of a gas-phase reactor with desired flow characteristics while taking up relatively little space within a reaction chamber.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present disclosure generally relates to gas-phase reactors and systems. More particularly, the disclosure relates to gas-phase reactor exhaust systems, to reactors and systems that include the exhaust system, and to components thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Gas-phase reactors, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and the like can be used for a variety of applications, including depositing and etching materials on a substrate surface. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical gas-phase reactor system 100, which includes a reactor 102, including a reaction chamber 104, a susceptor 106 to hold a substrate 130 during processing, a gas distribution system 108 to distribute one or more reactants to a surface of substrate 130, one or more reactant sources 110, 112, and optionally a carrier and/or purge gas source 114, fluidly coupled to reaction chamber 104 via lines 116-120 and valves or controllers 122-126. System 100 also includes a vacuum source 128.

Often, particularly when precise control of deposition or etch processes are desired, the gas distribution system and the reactor exhaust system are configured to provide laminar flow and/or uniform velocity of reactants over the surface of substrate 130. To do this, system 100 includes an annular exhaust plenum 132 ring around a boundary of reaction chamber 104. Plenum 132 can include gaps or holes to obtain a desired pressure differential around a perimeter of substrate 130 and susceptor 106, which allows a single fluid connection between plenum 132 and vacuum source 128, while providing laminar flow across the surface of substrate 130.

Although the plenum design of system 100 works relatively well, the design has drawbacks. For example, plenum 132 occupies significant reaction chamber 104 space. In addition, the reactor design requires that substrates 130 are loaded into or unloaded out of reaction chamber 104 by moving susceptor 106 relative plenum 132 (e.g., downward) to provide access to a load/unload area away from plenum 132. Systems that require movement of susceptor 106 to provide access to a load/unload region within reactor 102 are relatively complex and expensive. In addition, additional internal chamber volume is generally required for systems that include a moving susceptor, which in turn can lead to increased gas consumption and lower throughput times due to increased pumping, backfill, and purge times. The significant amount of area within reaction chamber 104 that plenum 132 and/or a moving susceptor occupies further adds to the cost of system 100.

Accordingly, improved gas-phase reactor exhaust systems and plenums, which occupy less reaction chamber space, and/or reactors and systems that don't require movement of a susceptor for loading and unloading substrates, are desired.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to gas-phase reactors and systems and to improved exhaust systems and plenums for the gas-phase reactors and systems. While the ways in which various embodiments of the present disclosure address drawbacks of prior gas-phase reactors, systems, and exhaust systems are discussed in more detail below, in general, various embodiments of the disclosure provide an improved exhaust and plenum design for gas-phase reactors, which allow for less complex, less expensive, higher throughput reactor and system designs.

In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, a gas-phase reactor includes a reaction chamber comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a sidewall, and an interior region formed between the top surface, the bottom surface, and the sidewall; a susceptor within the interior region, the susceptor comprising a side perimeter; a channel formed between the side perimeter and the sidewall; and an exhaust plenum within the interior region and beneath the susceptor, the exhaust plenum fluidly coupled to the channel. In accordance with various aspects of these embodiments, the channel is configured to control gas flow over a surface, such as a surface of a substrate during process, by restricting a gas flow to the plenum. To achieve this, the channel can extend about the entire susceptor side perimeter. Exemplary channel widths are greater than 0 mm and less than about 4 mm, or about 0.5 mm to about 4 mm, or about 2 mm. In accordance with further aspects of these exemplary embodiments, the reactor includes a vacuum source (e.g., low-vacuum pump or a dry pump) and optionally a control valve to control a pressure in the reaction chamber. The reactor can also include an auxiliary pump, such as a turbomolecular pump or turbopump for lower-pressure processing. In accordance with further exemplary aspects, the reaction chamber sidewall includes an opening (e.g., above, level, or including an area level with a top surface of the susceptor) to receive a substrate for processing. The plenum resides below the susceptor to reduce an amount of active reaction chamber space that the plenum may otherwise occupy. The plenum can include any suitable shape, such as a substantially hollow cylinder, a toroid, a hollow square, a hollow rectangle, or the like. By way of example, the plenum can be a hollow cylinder having height of about 2 to about 25 mm or about 10 to about 20 mm, and outside diameter of about 334 to about 374 mm, and in inside diameter of about 79 to about 99 mm.

In accordance with additional exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, a gas-phase reactor exhaust system includes a plenum having a top portion comprising a bottom portion of a susceptor and a bottom portion comprising an interior bottom surface of a reaction chamber; a channel formed between the susceptor and an interior surface of a reaction chamber, the channel fluidly coupled to the plenum; and a vacuum source fluidly coupled to the plenum. In accordance with various aspects of these embodiments, the channel width is greater than 0 mm and less than about 4 mm, or about 0.5 mm to about 4 mm, or about 2 mm. The channel can extend about the entire perimeter of the susceptor to provide laminar flow in a radial direction across a substrate. The plenum can include any suitable shape, such as those noted above.

In accordance with yet additional exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, a gas-phase reactor system includes a gas-phase reactor as described herein, a vacuum source coupled to a plenum within the reactor, and one or more gas sources.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

A more complete understanding of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures.

FIG. 1 illustrates a prior-art gas-phase reactor system.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cut-away view of a gas-phase reactor and exhaust plenum in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates another cut-away view of the reactor and exhaust plenum illustrated in FIG. 2.

It will be appreciated that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve the understanding of illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

The description of exemplary embodiments of reactors, components, and systems provided below is merely exemplary and is intended for purposes of illustration only; the following description is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure or the claims. Moreover, recitation of multiple embodiments having stated features is not intended to exclude other embodiments having additional features or other embodiments incorporating different combinations of the stated features.

The present disclosure generally relates to gas-phase reactors, systems including the reactors, and to exhaust systems and plenums for the reactors. As set forth in more detail below, the reactors and systems include an exhaust plenum that resides underneath, rather than coplanar with a substrate to be processed. This allows the plenum to take up less active area within a processing area of the reactor, and for a less complex, less expensive reactor design and operation costs.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a reactor 200 in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the disclosure. Reactor 200 includes a reaction chamber 202, a susceptor 204, a channel 206, and an exhaust plenum 208 (also referred to herein as plenum region or simply plenum). In the illustrated example, reactor 200 also includes a gas distribution system 210, such as a shower head.

Reactor 200 can be any suitable gas-phase reactor. For example, reactor 200 can be a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor, a plasma-enhance CVD (PECVD) reactor, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor, an epitaxial reactor, or the like. By way of example, reactor 200 is an etch reactor for removing native or thermal silicon oxide.

Reaction chamber 202 includes a top surface 242, a bottom surface 244, a sidewall 228, and an interior region 245 formed between top surface 242, bottom surface 244, and sidewall 228. As illustrated, reaction chamber 202 can include an opening 302 in sidewall 228 to receive a substrate—e.g., from an automatic loader—which can be placed onto susceptor 204, without requiring movement of susceptor 204.

Susceptor 204 is located within interior region 245. Susceptor 204 is configured to receive and retain a substrate 212 in place during processing, such as during a deposition or etch process. Exemplary susceptor 204 includes a recess 214 to receive substrate 212, such that a top surface of substrate 216 is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the susceptor 218. This allows substantially laminar flow and/or uniform velocity across the surface of the substrate 216 and the surface of the susceptor 218. Susceptor 204 can also include temperature measurement devices 220, 222 and/or heating elements 224. Use of heating elements allows reactor 202 to operate in a cold wall/hot substrate mode to reduce undesired deposition or etch on walls of reaction chamber 202. Exemplary susceptors, suitable for susceptor 204 are described in more detail in U.S. application Ser. No. 14/219,879 entitled “REMOVABLE SUBSTRATE TRAY AND ASSEMBLY AND REACTOR INCLUDING SAME”, filed Mar. 19, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, to the extent such contents do not conflict with the present disclosure.

In accordance with various examples of the disclosure, susceptor 204 is fixedly attached to reactor 200 and does not move relative to reaction chamber 202 to receive or allow removal of substrate 212. This allows a simplified, less expensive design of reactor 202 compared to similar reactors. In addition, because less interior reaction chamber volume is used, operating costs of reactors including the improved plenum are reduced.

Channel 206 provides fluid communication between reaction chamber 202 and plenum 208. In accordance with exemplary aspects of the illustrated embodiments, channel 206 is about an entire perimeter of a side 226 of susceptor 204—e.g., channel 206 forms an annular region between sidewall 228 and side 226. This configuration facilitates laminar flow in a radial direction across substrate 212 and susceptor 204. Channel 206 can optionally include a boss and/or inserts to further control flow of gasses across surfaces 216 and 218. Additionally or alternatively, a width of the channel (the spacing between side 226 and a side of reaction chamber 228) can vary to provide a desired flow across surfaces 216, 218. For example, the channel can include a narrow width in an area near a vacuum source 230 and include a relatively wide width away from vacuum source 320. A width of the channel can range from greater than 0 mm to about 4 mm, about 0.5 mm to about 4 mm, or be about 2 mm. In accordance with yet further examples, the width can taper from top surface 218 to a bottom surface of the susceptor 232. In this case, the width can taper from wide to narrow or from narrow to wide.

Illustrated exhaust plenum 208 is located beneath susceptor 204. This allows desired gas exhaust, using less active reaction chamber 202 volume, and allows loading and unloading of substrates onto susceptor 204, without requiring movement of susceptor 204. Plenum 208 can be formed of a variety of shapes, such as a substantially hollow cylinder, a toroid, a hollow square, a hollow rectangle, or the like. The dimensions of plenum 208 can depend on a type and/or size of reactor 200. By way of examples, a height, H, of plenum 208 can range from greater than 0 mm to about 15 mm, about 5 mm to about 25 mm, about 10 to about 20 mm, or be about 15 mm, an outside diameter can range from about 334 to about 374 mm or be about 354 mm, and in inside diameter can range from about 79 to about 99 mm or be about 89 mm. Plenum 208 is fluidly coupled to vacuum source 230, such as a vacuum pump (e.g., a low-vacuum or dry vacuum pump), and optionally to an auxiliary pump 234, such as a turbomolecular pump or turbopump. A control valve 246 can be fluidly coupled to plenum 208 to control a pressure in plenum 208 and/or within reaction chamber 202.

In the illustrated example, plenum 208 is formed within, e.g., machined from, reactor 202. In this case, no additional parts are required to form plenum 208.

As noted above, gas distribution system 210 can suitably include a showerhead. Showerhead gas distribution systems enable uniform deposition and etch processes across surface of substrate 216. Gas distribution system 210 includes a plate 236 having perforations or holes 238 formed therein and an open area 240, where, for example, precursor gasses or reactant and carrier gasses can mix. Area 240 can be a plasma chamber for gas-phase reactions with use of a remote plasma. In the case of direct plasma reactors, gas distribution system 210 can form an electrode to generate a plasma within reaction chamber 202. Whether part of a direct plasma system or not, gas distribution system 210 can be located within reaction chamber 202.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are set forth herein, it should be appreciated that the disclosure is not so limited. For example, although the systems, reactors, and components are described in connection with various specific configurations, the disclosure is not necessarily limited to these examples. Various modifications, variations, and enhancements of the system and method set forth herein may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and nonobvious combinations and subcombinations of the various reactors, systems, components, and configurations, and other features, functions, acts, and/or properties disclosed herein, as well as any and all equivalents thereof. 

We claim:
 1. A gas-phase reactor comprising: a reaction chamber comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a sidewall extending between the top surface and the bottom surface and around a periphery to define an interior region between the top surface, the bottom surface, and the sidewall; a susceptor fixedly attached within the interior region such that the susceptor is not moved to load or unload substrates, the susceptor comprising a side perimeter; an opening extending through a first portion the sidewall and around less than all the periphery to receive a substrate to be placed on a top surface of the susceptor; a channel formed by an annular space between the side perimeter and the sidewall, wherein a width between the side perimeter and the sidewall is greater than 0 mm and less than 4 mm; and a plenum having a shape selected from the group consisting of a substantially hollow cylinder, a toroid, a hollow square, and a hollow rectangle formed within the reaction chamber, a width of the plenum spanning between the sidewall and a plenum side surface formed within the bottom surface, the plenum fluidly coupled to the channel, wherein a bottom surface of the plenum comprises a first opening coupled to a first vacuum source, wherein the bottom surface of the reaction chamber comprises an opening apart from the first opening to receive a portion of the susceptor, wherein a gas flows from a gas distribution system to the channel and then to the plenum and; wherein a height of the plenum ranges from about 5 to about 25 mm, an inside diameter of the plenum ranges from about 79 mm to about 99 mm and an outside diameter of the plenum ranges from about 334 mm to about 374 mm.
 2. The gas-phase reactor of claim 1, wherein the width between the side perimeter and the sidewall is between about 0.5 mm and about 4 mm.
 3. The gas-phase reactor of claim 1, further comprising a second vacuum source fluidly coupled to a second opening in the bottom surface.
 4. The gas-phase reactor of claim 3, further comprising a control valve fluidly coupled between the first vacuum source and the plenum.
 5. The gas-phase reactor of claim 3, wherein the second vacuum source comprises a turbomolecular pump fluidly coupled to the plenum.
 6. The gas-phase reactor of claim 1, wherein the opening in the reaction chamber to load and unload substrates is upstream of the channel.
 7. The gas-phase reactor of claim 1, further comprising a showerhead gas distribution system within the reaction chamber.
 8. The gas-phase reactor of claim 1, wherein the plenum is machined within a bottom portion of the reaction chamber.
 9. The gas-phase reactor of claim 1, wherein a shape of the plenum is substantially a hollow cylinder.
 10. A gas-phase reactor system comprising: a gas-phase reactor comprising: a reaction chamber comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a sidewall having an upper end at the top surface and a bottom end at the bottom surface, and an interior region formed between the top surface, the bottom surface, and the sidewall and an opening extending through the sidewall between its upper end and its bottom end to receive substrates, wherein the bottom surface comprises a first opening coupled to a first vacuum source; a susceptor within the interior region, the susceptor comprising a side perimeter, wherein a bottom of the opening is coplanar or above a top surface of the susceptor; a channel formed between the side perimeter and the sidewall, wherein a width between the side perimeter and the sidewall is greater than 0 mm and less than 4 mm and wherein the channel extends about the entire side perimeter; and a plenum having a width spanning between the sidewall and a plenum sidewall formed within the bottom surface, the plenum having a shape selected from the group consisting of a substantially hollow cylinder, a toroid, a hollow square, and a hollow rectangle formed within the reaction chamber, the plenum fluidly coupled to the channel within the interior region and beneath the susceptor, the plenum fluidly coupled to the channel defined between the side perimeter and the sidewall; and one or more gas sources coupled to the gas-phase reactor, wherein the bottom surface further comprises an opening apart from the first opening to receive a portion of the susceptor, and wherein a height of the plenum ranges from about 5 to about 25 mm, an inside diameter of the plenum ranges from about 79 mm to about 99 mm and an outside diameter of the plenum ranges from about 334 mm to about 374 mm.
 11. The gas-phase reactor of claim 10, wherein the width between the side perimeter and the sidewall is greater than 0.5 mm and less than 4 mm.
 12. The gas-phase reactor of claim 10, wherein the channel is configured to control a gas flow over a surface of a substrate by restricting flow to the plenum. 